Method of desiccating sauer-kraut.



Jonv'a. HARE, or BALTIMORE, BIARYLAKD.

METHOD OF DESICCATING sauna-Kaiser.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 4, 1908.

Application filed September 27, 1906. Serial No. 336,425.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, JOHN R. HARE, a sub 'ect of the King of Great Britain, residing at l3altimore, in the State ofMaryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Desiccating Sauer-Kraufland I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to novel im rovements in the manufacture of dried foo products, s )ecifically the production of desiccate sauer 'raut.

Its object is to enable sauer kraut to be prepared at propitious times and then preserved for long periods in its most palatable form, thus rendering it available as an article of diet in seasons when it is ordinarily not obtainable.

At present, the manufacture of good sauer kraut is a matter attended by considerable dillieulty and uncertainty; and, owing to its instability, it has hitherto been impossible to keep it for any length of time, a sort of decom osition setting in after a short while and ruining the flavor. It has been particularly (lillicult to make good sauer kraut in and keeping it at this season lias been out f thcquestion. For these reasons it has hitherto been far from easy to secure good sauer kraut in any seasons, and )ractically im )ossible. to get it at all in the summer. he large amounts of saucr kraut which are made despite these serious dilliculties attendant upon its manufacture and preservation serve as eloquent indication of the esteem in which this article of food is held, not only by thoseof German origin or descent, but by many others who have acquired a taste for the appetizing dish; and it is a real de rivation to many not to be able to obtain it at certain times. It may well be remembered, too,

' that the large quantities consumed annually may be regarded as representing other large quantities which have become spoiled and useless. There is, therefore, a very genuine want for a form of sauer kraut that will be available at any time and that will be-pos-- rineaf' tion stage, the )roduct will'have, when properly prepared f teristically pleasing and appetizing flavor. Moreover, this dried mar will keep for 1011 periods, and will always have when cooked the same palatable qustities.

In carrying out my invention, the cabbage is first cut u or reduced to shreds. These shreds are then packed in alternate layers with salt in a suitabt container or "cssel, preferably of wood to avoid the formation of metallic acetates. A follower is placed on top of the whole to prevent the kra-ut, now in .roce'ss of formation, from rising above the b 116 ripening of the mass must be superintended with great care; and at just the pro er point in the acetic acid fermentationtlie time that will have elapsed being determined-- bytempersture and other conditions-the "ripened lcrsrnt is removed from the brine andg'placed upon suitable supports, preferably retl' lula-ted stands or slabs, in contact with curr nts of dry air, preferably somewhat heat-ed,'-.condi1ions being so regulated as to produceaigmdual dryin The dryin shreds are from. time to time carefully but thoroughly sfaslien up and the less dried portion brought intomore direct conthe summer because of the lll ll temperature,

tact with the currents or air. It is imperative that reat care be taken that at this sta e the kraut shall not come in contact with copper, when dangerous cop cr acetate might be formed, or indeed with ot ier metals.

It is most desirable that, after the drying of the sauer kraut shall 1 ave proceeded to a certain degree, a res- 1mg or dr* salting sl all be effected. \Yitt'i a view to t 1e nature of the final product itis best that the salt used at this and at the earlier stage of the process shall be as free from magnesium chlorid as possible, sin..e it is this impurity which gives to common salt its familiar by groscopic properties. In will be readily perceived that it is important that the finally dried kraut shall be as tile liable as possible to the absorption of atmospheric moisture.

The drying may now be further continued;

but before completion of this step I contemplate shaping the msT-aerial by acking in suitable molds, where it is allowct to remain for a time. The krarn will not be particularly compacted in these molds, but will retain. its shape when removed therefrom. The drying is now completed; and the final product may be placed in packages, substanor the table, a most characsalt than is permissible in an article of-diet re )aration for the Previous, therefore, to table, the product'shou d e fresliened by steeping in cold water, after which it may be cooked or treated in any desired manner.

portion of the population, and that the invention not only enables the kraut to be prepared at one season and consumed at another, but as Well makes infinitely more certain than heretofore its manufacture and preservation at any season. Another a for ong distances with the greatest conven-\ ienee, and without danger of spoiling.

\Vhat is claimed as new is:

The process of preparing desiccated sauer kraut, which conslsts in cutting cabbage and reducim it to shreds, packing said shreds in It 1s to be remembered that the kraut \Vlll salt, subsequently removing! the mass and subjecting it to a partial drying process, re-

saltlng the same and compresslng it 111 su1t able molds, removing it from the molds before drying action is complete, and subsequently entirely drying the same.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature, in the presence of two subscribing wit nesses.

JOHN R. HARE. \Vitnesses .ADRIAN J. GRAPE,

CHAS. A. NICHOLSON. 

